11 Jan 2014

'Il Principino' to LFC? Reds eye €24m star hailed as Del Piero's 'worthy successor'.

It's January, which means a continual flow of transfer rumours, and the latest player to be linked with a move to Anfield is Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio, who is also wanted by Manchester United.

According to The Express today, Liverpool are monitoring the 27-year old Italy international, but United appear to have the upper hand after (allegedly) putting in a €24m bid.

Juve's exit from the Champions League this season will cost the club £17m, and with players like Pogba and Vidal at the club, Marchisio could be sacrificed to make up the financial shortfall.

When asked about Marchisio's future in December, Juventus General manager Beppe Marotta told Tutto Sport:

"It is true that Manchester United are interested, but we do not want anyone to leave. Our team is strong and balanced."

Like Steven Gerrard, Marchisio is the archetypal one club man. he came through the youth ranks at Juventus, and has spent his entire senior career at the club. As such, he'll probably fight tooth and nail to stay, and in a recent interview with JTV, Juve's official TV channel, he made it clear he doesn't want to leave:

"I have no intention to change, but every year there have been rumours that involved me. I have another two years on my deal with Juventus. I hope to play as long as possible here"

Former Juve President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli believes that Marchisio is well-placed to become an all-time club legend like another recent LFC target. He told Radio Sportiva:

"The memory of what Del Piero was will last forever. He was the greatest player in the club’s history. Now let us hope that we can find a worthy successor, and that could be Marchisio.”

I'm a big fan of Marchisio - nicknamed 'Il Principino' by Juve's fans - so I'm all for this move. He can play defensively, but his greater strength is play in front of a deep-lying midfield playmaker, and linking he play between midfield and attack. At Juve, he plays in a midfield three ahead of Andrea Pirlo, and his box-box capabilities are a great asset to the Old Lady's style of play.

Having said that, there's always the nagging doubt about the effectiveness in the Premier League of Italy-based players. Liverpool's record with players from Serie A is woeful, with Dossena, Aquilani, and Borini - combined cost £37m (!) - being the three most glaring examples of Italian players who couldn't settle at Anfield.



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11 comments:

  1. You hit the nail on the head at the end, we have no luck with italians! I wouldnt risk it.

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  2. Liverpool Academy live on nutjob at the moment stream 31

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  3. Marchisio is top quality and i would actually be very suprised if the club were TRULY interested in making a bid for him. he would definately make our team better as he is a genuine world class midfielder. Giachenrini from sunderland is quality and seemed to join Sunderland at the lur of the PL. maybe Marrchisio will join us if we bidded? Marchisio and Salah would be a very good january. despite the delay, i think LFC will still sign Salah.


    ---------------------------Mingolet
    Sterling---------Skrtel-----------Sakho----------Flanagan
    ---------------Marchisio-----------Gerrard
    Salah----------------------------------------------Coutinho
    ----------------Suarez-------------Sturridge


    or


    ------------------Mingolet
    Sterling---------Skrtel-------Toure-----Flanagan
    -------------Marchisio---------Gerrard
    --------------------------Hendo
    ------------Salah--------------------Sturridge
    -----------------------Suarez


    for becoming one of the best players in the world on level with Messi and Ronaldo, LFC have promised to build a world class team around Luis Suarez and like CR7 and Messi are the week in, week out stars of their teams, Suarez will be the star of ours. With Marchisio and Salah that team there looks full of potential with BR-style football

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  4. Also on firstrow, and viponlinesports.
    LFC 1 -0 M'boro. H.T.

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  5. i want Rodgers to find a way to bring through Jerome Sinclair, Joao Texieria and Seyi Ojo. there all players but still very young and raw but giving them a run out in the first team when we are in a comfortable lead will only do the club good. i could imagine us being 4-0 up at home against Aston Villa and we sub off maybe Coutinho and Sturridge for rest and throw on Ibe and Sinclair. very direct players with pace and skill to link with the senior players.

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  6. He does look a great player, I wonder though since he's such a one club man there's a good chance of him having problems adjusting to the new culture in England. I think Aquilani had similar problems, although there were other problems with him such as injuries. Actually come to think of it wasn't Aquilani called Il Principino at Roma? My gut tells me to stay away from this one. He is an excellent striker of the ball though!

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  7. Mr. Point Of View2:18 pm, January 11, 2014

    i would like to use Steering like Owen back then rather than as a RWB...
    He got pace n skill easily break in offside trap n score...
    With BR use him as a winger is totally waste bcoz he cant cross and pass....and BR tactic doesn't need crossing as well...

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  8. He is not that good really. Pogba is younger and plays better in his absence and he also doesn't look great in Italy team. No.

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  9. It's gone awful quiet around Sinclair and Ibe after last years hype. Now in fairness, they're only 17 now or something so I think it's great that they're being brought up slowly but I would have expected them on the bench at times. We've seen plenty of other youngsters making the match day squad this year so why not them?

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  10. I long for a return to the pre-internet days when there were no discussions on possible Liverpool signings. Shankly and Paisley said nothing but just went out and bought one or two outstanding players to improve their team without saying anything at all to the public at large until they appeared on the news holding aloft their new colours at Anfield. Would have loved to hear Shanks' replies to any journalists who had the temerity to ask about his interest in purchasing certain players on a TV interview.


    The numbers of 'top players' that Rodgers was supposed to be chasing is laughable, especially when he returns for basement buys and sends some of his previously lauded 'star captures' out on loan to other European and Premier League clubs to gain playing time. Liverpool FC and their loyal supporters deserve better Mr Rodgers!


    What matters to most of us is well refereed matches and the FA to emerge from the dark ages to utilise technology to achieve that end.


    And - not least to secure 3 points this afternoon!

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  11. I have always believed if a player is good enough, then he's old enough. Have a look at Owen, Rooney, Fowler and Stirling, not to mention Barkley. Bring the young fellows in and give them a run; see if we can't develop another great striker.

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